The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-09-01
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety Of interesting
Subjects.

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umn within three weeks.l
M. "A. ", Rock FailS. IH.-Is widow entitled 10
pension on account of her stepsOn, who died of
disease contracted in the war; AnSWer. There is
no provision of law which allows pension to
stepmother in her own right
f. ~, HOker Station O.-When does a soldiers
orphan daughters pension cease? Answer. At
the age of 10.
H. p. s., North San6ornfon " H-Can a soldier
draw pension through hospital record of sickness
during servleeR AHS1rer. The question of n sol
diers right to pension depends upon the fact
whether the disability alleged was contracted in
line OF duty whether he prove the facts;
whether he can show continuance of such disable
ity during each year since his discharge, and
whether he Is now disabled by reason of the cause
alleged. hospital record showing the soldier to
have been treated for the identical disability alleg-
ed, as a basis for pension would be of great value
to him in his claim.
j. II. s., Ctisago. M-Please give number Of
troops in each cali and term of enlistment. AaSa1er
The dates Of the varions calls follows:
April Is, ls6l, 1900 militia for three months; May
8. 1861 confirmed by actapprOved Aug 6. 1861. and
under acts approved July % and %. 1861, 10000
men for six months, one, two and three years;
special authority to raise troops for three
months, May and June 1862; July 2. 1862 900 coo
men for three years; Aug. 4, 1862 3OO,OOO N Itia
for nine months; June 10, 1863 six-months mi
htia Oct. IL. 1865 (which embraces men raised
by draft of 1863. and Feb l. 1864 500 900 men for
three years; March H. ls6l 100000 men for three
years militia for 100 days mustered In between
April % and July Is, 1864 July 49, 1864. 100000
men for one. two and three years (reduced by ex-
cess of credits on previous enllsl Dec. TO- 1864,
10000 men for one. two and three years. The
fnHy
New York, and aggregated 80 $50 men.
J. H. H., Exeter. X. L-Enlisted in lst r. I. Cav,
November, ls6l: Was discharged May, 1852, on
surgeons certificate of disability. Am entitled
to bounty and Communication of travel? AnsIger.
You are not entitled to bounty. for the that
you served less than two years. and were discharged
for cause other than for wounds or injury received
in line of duty. You probably paid your
| travel pay when you were discharged.
T.. c. C., Naples " I'll. Is a man drafted for one
year entitled to Government bounty? 2 Is one
drafted for longer service entitled? 5. Is a minor
child Of soldier of 1872 entitled to pension? The
widow draw hers. Insurer. 4. No. 2. That de-
ponds upon the date of enlistment Unless you
| specify dates we cannot answer. 3. No.
o. j. w., North Bend Nsb.-DOes the law require
a coroner's inquest To be secret? ARsWer. Yes.
A. g. C., Norris Crossroads Pd.-What is rating
for partial loss of hearing? 4nSCer. Depends upon
the report of Examining Surgeons showing the de-
gree of Deafness There various grades of deaf
.ness-frOm slight to total
j. L.. Cumberland, GA soldier not pensioned
dies Can his widow, who remarries. or his chill
dren receive a pension? AHssgsr A widow having
| remarked would not be entitled to pension under
/ any circumstances If the cause of the soldiers
death was due 10 his military service and line OF
duty therein pension could be obtained for such of
his children as were under the age of is years at
| the date when their mother remarked
A. r., Point Ps9tRSIsi0F, ". H.-When did Stephen
A. Douglas def AHStCer. June 3, lS6l, in the 49th
\ year of his age.
e. r., East Buffalo ~ Y-Soldier applied for pen
sion prior to June 3D. 1850. which was granted at
g per month lie now receives So per month.
Please explain this strange case 4nStger. We dis
| cover nothing strange or remarkable in the case
cited. 10 il but one of thousands of similar cases
and, we do not understand wherein il Is strange,
/ are unable To give you the explanation requested.
| j. g.. Bearer Fails. P0.-Eniisted private in Co.
/ +. 4lst Pa September, 1861, for three years. Was
discharged after Is months for disability. and re-
/ ceiyed 500 bounty. Am entitled TO Sl0O more
AHstCer. You are not entitled to any further pay
/ ment than that already received. Even you
/ entitled to additional bounty such claim would be
barred because il was not flied prior To July l. 1850
| when the law expired by limitation.
4 II. L. e., Wdhd UGitt, BdSh Tsr-Please send
| me the enactment of the last Congress pertaining
/ to hernia rupture. 4HSwer. There no act of
or legislation by, Congress ON the subject
| j. A. T., Richmond kaH.-What pay il due the
/ Mexican soldier? AnS,0er. We presume you mean
pension. Eight dollars per month from Jan 20
| 1887.
DJA, Ns1v York-Does the following extract
from the New York Tribune of Jan. 81, 1855, con-
/ tain good case?
INTERESTING TO SOLDIERS.
1 Thomas 5. Brooks of Indiana is an ex-Union
soldier. He insists that the Government owes him
pension money to the amount of some 81 100. but
| at the same time he admits that his claim not
/ filed prior To July 1, 1880 The law provides thai
only soldiers who have filed their claims prior u
that date shall be entitled To receive back pay AL
| other pensioners paid from the date of fling
their claims. Mr.. Brooks believes that the statute
limitation in question Is unconstitutional and pro-
poses bring suit in order that the point may be
judicialy passed upon He sets up that the stat
| ute violates the provisions of the Constitution
| which secures the invoiability of contracts. The
i Government entered into contract with the vol
unteers; In consideration OF their services the Gov
| eminent agreed that such of them should be
| wounded otherwise disabled in her service
| should be entitled to certain benefits" Comment
| ing upon these facts MIR. Brooks remarks thai
The supreme law of the land forbids Congress u
/ set aside National contract to pay National
debt by statute of Imitation, and then he proceeds
to argue that The soldiers debt is National debt
/ as much as the bonded debt" A good many sol
/ diers have filed their papers since July I, 1850
/ They will wait for the outcome of MIR. BTOOks's
| case with great interest. AnSWe-. The argument
/ advanced has no force. Congress has an undoubt
ed right to pass pension laws subject certain re-
strietions. The limitation of was not wise
legislation, but IL WAS constitutional and, SUCH
/ must stand until repealed.
| e. O., Georgetown. COto.-l. Il IL customary when
attending physician calls in another for eonsultl-
ton To pay former or BOTH 2. Can physician
withhold affidavit In pension case It'll paid by
| claimant for former medical services? 8 What
hospital record of evidence is required if Surgeon
| il deadY Ans,ger l. Both. 2 This il a mater
that must be left to the individual Judgment on
I caprice of each physician. There is no law which
WOulu compel make an aIttiitNlb Ia
/ sion claim at any time. g. A hospital record" is
one made on the books of the hospital at the time
/ the soldier inmate thereof. Such hospital
records preserved are in the custody OF the
Surgeon General, u. 3 A., and a transcript from
such records IL any exists. il furnished by the Sur
| geon-Genersl To the Commissioner of Pensions. II
such records are wanting. then the claimant is
called upon to furnish the evidence of his Regiments
| al Surgeon To show treatment for the disability
claimed Where there Is hospital record show
ing that soldier treated in service for the disa-
\ bity claimed, testimony from the Regimental
Surgeon Is not necessary. nor is IL usually called for